Final Fantasy VII: Chaotic
by Chaos' Plague
Summary: In an alternate universe AVALANCHE is forced to stop an invincible foe from releasing a great evil. But what is evil and who has the right to judge. Rated for sexual content and adult themes. CloTi, CleRith, CloFfie, VinTi, and every other pairing I ca
1. Chapter 1

**Chaotic**

_The year is 103AD, more than a century after the great disaster. Shinra Corporation's mad plunges into the planet's untapped resources had resulted in a catastrophe that claimed most of the original Midgar. Only the very outer limits of the city were spared. Fifty years after the disaster Shinra documents were discovered that pointed to the secret of the corporation's destruction and the hope for the future. A substance beneath the surface was believed to exist that could produce 500 times its weight in conventional fuel. Whoever could harness such a substance could not only resuscitate Midgar but could take the world by storm. _

_It wasn't long before war broke out among those that would own the world. Of the many warring factions three distinguished themselves as the most powerful. SOLDIER, led by an inhumanly strong and crafty young man named Sephiroth Gainsborough and his sister Aeris, AVALANCE, led by a brash but brilliant man known only as Barrat and The Wutai Tai led by the last surviving Wutainese Princess Yuffie._

_After 10 intense years of fighting between the three gangs the remains of Midgar were divided amongst the factions; SOLDIER in the north, AVALANCHE in the east and The Wu in the west. Each guarded their borders savagely and each had their own plan for finding the Secret of Shinra. But even in these trying times romance could still blossom... and so could hate.

* * *

_

Chapter I

It had been four long nights before the conditions were just right. There were no scheduled deliveries to this particular part of the complex for three hours. The rotation of the guards would leave a small window of opportunity and even the gods seemed to be cooperating. There were thick clouds hanging over northern Midgar casting the already dark streets in an infinite black void. A small figure in all black stood atop a derelict rooftop and stared at the SOLDIER main headquarters. The figure's timing was perfect. For two minutes no one else would be watching.

The figure leapt from its perch and plunged into the darkened street below like a bolt of lightning. The figure was like a living part of the dark, all unseen motion and liquid like fluidity. The figure _was_ darkness. Darkness shot through he abandoned streets like rounds from a cannon. The Darkness moved silently and swiftly between buildings emptied long ago by SOLDIER enforcers. General Sephiroth ordered the clearing of all the buildings around his fortress for two blocks in every direction. He wanted to know exactly what was in his territory and he wanted a moat-like free zone around his home. But General Sephiroth had no idea that Darkness was about to pay a visit.

A keening wind coursed through the empty alley ways like the vengeful ghost of the once thriving city. Darkness was too young to remember what things were like before Shinra's disaster but records still existed. Pictures, books, and holographic blueprints of the former metropolis were prized among its displaced people. Even Darkness had a stash of photographs, rumored to be of the old Shinra building. The SOLDIER main headquarters and the Shinra corporate headquarters had an alarming similarity. A left turn brought the HQ in to view with its menacing shadow casting evil shapes on the buildings it dwarfed. Less than a minute remained before the window of opportunity closed.

Time was ticking away and the SOLDIER sentries would arrive at any moment. Darkness wasted no time checking a time piece because internal clocks were more reliable. Sephiroth's lackeys would kill anyone found trespassing on his land... _after_ they applied aggressive questioning. They're torture techniques were legendary and Darkness had no desire to experience them firsthand. The foot falls of the returning guards could be heard in the distance. Maybe Darkness had miscalculated and cut things too close. Two long strides and a magnificent leap saw Darkness take to the air and disappear into the night. Two sentries took up their post and watched for any sign of enemy encroachment. They watched the streets and rooftops around the complex with a practiced thoroughness that would spot a hunting stray black cat with ease. Lucky for Darkness they searched for targets approaching and not targets already climbing the side of the building.

Aeris Gainsborough sprawled lazily across her huge bed, eyes closed in deep contemplation. Brown hair framed her face like the veil of a waiting bride. She wore a dark grey nightgown that clung tightly to her slight form and accentuated her womanly curves. The window was open allowing cold night air free reign of her room and her erect nipples. A particularly strong gust of wind blew through the chamber and caused Aeris to shudder as it flew up her gown and caressed her pantiless lower regions. She parted her legs slightly and imagined it was her Romeo. She was lost in thoughts of Cloud Strife.

* * *

She remembered that horrible day when he walked out of her life. She had always had a crush on the quiet and brooding SOLDIER and knew that he had feelings for her too. She arranged the sentry assignments so that he would be posted in an area as far from the main complex as any of the guards dared to go. With him posted alone and away from her overprotective brother's prying eyes she snuck out of HQ to surprise him. He was perched atop the roof of an old house in order to get a good view of the surrounding area. His keen eyes saw her coming from blocks away. He was waiting for her when she opened the front door to his chosen watchtower.

"Mistress Gainsborough, why aren't you at headquarters? It's very dangerous out here so close to the ruins and the Wu border." said the SOLDIER. She rolled her eyes and closed the door behind her. She had worn a short one piece dress in the black a dark blue worn by her brother's faction and a small matching jacket. "Seriously ma'am you should not be he-" protested Cloud until she through off the jacket. The top of the dress was low cut, revealing round shoulders and an alluring length of collarbone.

"Who are you to tell me where I should and shouldn't be?" she asked in an authoritative tone. The blonde SOLDIER tensed as if she had slapped him. He saluted rigidly.

"Mistress, my intention was not to over step my bounds but merely to impart upon you the danger you're putting yourself in." he said. Aeris shook her head sadly. She liked strong assertive men like her brother and the SOLDIER that stood before her was a drastic let down from the blond man she'd seen behead a captured prisoner. Disappointedly, she wondered whether planning this clandestine rendezvous was a big mistake.

"I am quite aware of the danger, Strife."

"Ma'am I was not attempting to imp-"

"Shut up." She spat with a wave of her hand. "That's an order." She slowly walked a circle around the stiff SOLDIER. She pretended to be taking an inventory of the nearly Spartan room they occupied while in truth she was check out Clouds toned form. As she finished her forth rotation she pinched his rear. Cloud gasped and opened his mouth to say something. "I gave you an order SOLDIER!" she said swiftly, stifling a laugh. "Now, I want you to be silent and listen.

"To answer your first question, I'm not at headquarters because I choose to be here… and I'm here to see _you_, Cloud. Don't look so shocked. I've seen the way you look at me when you think no one is watching. There you go looking shocked again… I must admit that it's kinda cute." She winked at the SOLDIER and began circling him once more. Circling like a shark that had scented blood. She lightly brushed her hand down his spiky blond hair. "I've even spoken to your bunkmate… did you know you speak about me in your sleep?" She was ahead of him again, a grin on her face that was anything but innocent. "I arranged this little meeting so that we could be alone." She purred.

"…"

If she hadn't been watching his face she might have missed it. The psychoanalysts were convinced that Cloud Strife suffered from Multiple Personality Disorder or some other form of displacement. He had a tendency to change in to a drastically different person in the heat of battle. She'd once seen that other Cloud when he was ordered to execute a prisoner. His features became less beautiful and much harder. His bright azure eyes turned menacing, murderous. Those same eyes stared back at her.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" she asked. For a moment it appeared that he wasn't going to answer.

"What do you want me to say? You want me to deny it, pretend that your information is incorrect? What can I say, _Mistress?_" His tone was mocking and bordered on insolent. Instead of taking offense Aeris blushed. This was the Cloud that made her heart skip a beat.

"You can say 'I want to rip your clothes off and ravish you, Mistress'" she stated with a devious chuckle. His eyes flashed for a moment and suddenly she was in the air. His strong fingers held her tightly and shock kept her from screaming out. He slammed her into the wall with enough force to make her bite her own tongue. Plaster from the building's aged walls showered the two. Aeris Gainsborough tasted blood and was afraid.

The SOLDIER leaned forward slowly until their lips were only a hair's width apart, nearly touching but not quite. Aeris held her breath. Green eyes stared into azure eyes for what seemed like an eternity until finally he lashed out with his tongue and tasted at a trickle of blood that had escaped her mouth. She shuddered and released the breath she'd been holding and became weak in the knees, close to fainting.

"I want to rip your clothes off and ravish you, _Mistress_." He said into her open mouth just before he kissed her deeply. This second Cloud is much more to my liking Aeris thought to herself.

Cloud grabbed her milky white thighs and hoisted her up against the wall. Straddled by her pale flesh he pressed into her. Her skirt rode up thigh on her legs exposing her pink panties. The bulge in his pants pressed firmly into her nether regions. She shook as he pushed into her harder and for a brief moment she thought he might enter her while they were both fully clothed. She leaned toward his ear and bite down sharply, forcing a gasp to escape his lips.

"Take me, Cloud Strife. Take all of me." She whispered in his ear. Obligingly, he pressed her against the wall with his waist so that he could use his hands to unfasten his belt. Impatient and eager Aeris began to grind into him. She moaned out of pleasure and he moaned out of frustration. Both felt that his pants were taking too long to come off.

Finally Cloud gave up and ripped his belt in half. The sound of the buckle hitting the ground was almost drowned out by the sound of their heavy breathing. She reached down to help with his pants when she sensed the use of materia. The door to the hovel imploded and bathed in the afternoon light, framed by the shattered doorway stood two statuesque figures. The taller of the two had long silvery hair that nearly sparkled as he rushed into the room. Cloud barely managed to parry General Sephiroth's blow with the flat of his own blade. He was thrown across the room and through a wall weak with age. Zack, Sephiroth's right hand, was right behind the head of SOLDIER scanning the room for any unseen threats.

Sephiroth turned to his younger sister and stared at her sitting on the floor where Cloud had dropped her to draw his sword. To her credit Aeris had the decency to look embarrassed. He made the barest of nods in her direction and Zack was suddenly by her side helping her up. She let him get her to her feet and swiftly fixed her skirt. Sephiroth and Zack both watched her, the latter with poorly concealed lust and the former with a slowly simmering fire. The sound of moving rubble snatched everyone's attention. Cloud stumbled wobbly into the room rubbing his head, his expression and manner back to normal.

"What the _fuck_ is going on here, SOLDIER!" exploded Zack. He was seething and his hand had made its way upward to the hilt of his buster sword.

"Commander Zack, Master Gainsborough! I... I..." stammered Cloud as if at a loss for words. He appeared to be bewildered by what was going on.

"ANSWER ME!" bellowed the dark haired man. Aeris was between the two before Cloud could babble another bewildered response. She put a hand on Zack's chest and pushed him backward. Her eyes were narrowed and she stared furiously at the SOLDIER commander.

"Back off, Zack!" she spat in his face. Zack's fury abated as he peered into those green orbs.

"Why are you here, Aeris? Sephiroth forbade you to leave Headquarters." He stated with an air of finality. "And why the hell was this whelp touching you?"

"Fuck you, Zack. I don't belong to you… or my brother." Though her response was heartfelt her conviction faltered as she glanced at the silent legend. She loved her brother and felt a bit of remorse for disobeying him.

"You don't mean that." said Zack, the plea clear in his tone.

"Yeah, I do!" said Aeris in a mocking tone that drove deep into the commander's heart. He cringed at the force of her words. Enraged he drew his huge sword. Cloud took a step back but Aeris stood her ground. She knew that Zack was too enamored with her to do anything harsh. From the corner of her eye she could see Sephiroth watching with intense, burning eyes. She wondered if her brother would save her if she proved to be wrong about Zack.

"Step aside, Aeris. Arm yourself, Strife!" There was a hint of insanity in his outburst. Aeris didn't move. She stared at Zack with scorn evident on her face.

"This is none of your concern, Zack! Get out of here."

"General, I believe your sister is has forgotten her place." Zack said over his shoulder in Sephiroth's direction.

"How dare you say I've forgotten my place?" A cloud of tension hung thickly in the air. "Have _you _forgotten who is boss here, SOLDIER? And next time you are to speak of me you shall refer to me as Mistress." said Aeris as she circled around the armed warrior. "When did we get on a first name basis, _Zack?_" she added with malice. "You will speak to me with more respect. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes" he said grudgingly.

"Yes, _who_?" she repeated.

"Yes, Mistress." said Zack with clenched teeth as he gave the patient general a glance. "But you insult yourself and your brother by letting this peon touch you." It was obvious that Zack was the one feeling insulted. Aeris laughed a derisive bark that was laced with cruelty and malice.

"You're jealous, Zack. It would be cute if it wasn't so pathetic." she said soberly. Cloud let a brief laugh escape his lips. For a moment there was a thick silence and then Zack was shoving the young woman aside and bringing his huge blade down in a hacking motion. She could barely make sense of the images that swept pass her face as she fell to the hard ground. Maybe she'd pushed Zack too far. Just before she hit the ground she thought she saw a black shape like a silent specter dash pass her.

The sound of steel meeting steel echoed through the dusty room and for a moment Aeris thought she would be deafened. She turned her head and stared in shocked disbelief. Zack's Buster Sword balanced impossibly on the edge of Sephiroth's Masamune, the long dai-katana easily supporting the weight of the other's broadsword. Cloud stood open mouthed. His hands had reached for his long sword but would have never drawn the weapon in time. Zack was shaking as much from exertion as from fear.

Aeris got to her feet and moved tentatively toward the frozen men. She was an inch away from her black-clad brother when he turned and stared into her eyes. For a moment her heart stopped and she knew that it wasn't her imagination but the fury and power of her older sibling that did it. His eyes were like simmering embers and reflected nothing that resided in the room with them.

"Zack, take my sister home." he said without breaking eye contact. The tone of his voice was laden with a calm that frightened more than any outburst could have. Zack sheathed his weapon and swiftly left the building, Aeris was not far behind. She had been ready to argue but decided not to test the limits of the General's patients. Cloud was left alone with the reputed deadliest swordsman in the world. His hands were still on the hilt of his sword but he entertained no hope of it being any use.

"General, I… I want to explain. It was all my fault. Mistress Aeris had-"

"I know this is all her doing." said Sephiroth, his voice still thick with that frightening calm. "That is the only reason you'll leave here alive."

"Thank you, Sir."

"Don't thank me. If I ever see you within my borders again I will gut you and leave you for the buzzards." Cloud had no response and Sephiroth expected none. The General left and Cloud was never heard from again...

* * *

She was broken of her revelry by a sudden change in the breeze. Aeris shifted and her nightgown rode up her thighs, exposing her lightly brown-dusted womanhood. She wasn't inclined to cover herself. Modesty was never one of her strong suits. Her thought drifted back to that day and the long walk back to Headquarters with Zack. Everyone knew that Zack served her brother out of hope that he might gain her hand in marriage. He was her creature to use, but she didn't want him. Like most women she wanted what she couldn't have and Sephiroth banishing Cloud made him very appetizing.

Images of blond spiky hair danced through her head. She could smell the scent of his aftershave and the thought of his strong hands was pulling at things low on her body that made her purr like a kitten. She smiled and worked her hands down to the point where her legs met. Fingers found flesh and she shook with passion. She moaned and grounded her bottom into her thick comforter. She writhed and wriggled… and suddenly froze. Had someone just cleared their throat?

She opened her eyes and perched like a bird of prey was a figure draped in all black from head to toe. The figure was deathly still and framed by the clear night sky. Darkness. Aeris rolled off of the bed leaving it between her and the newcomer. She was sharply aware of the twenty-three story drop from her window and wonder how her visitor managed. She slowly eased toward the door to her chamber never taking her eyes off of the figure in her window. Like an owl Darkness followed Aeris with only the steady shift of his head. She was almost to the edge of the bed when impulsively she shot a glance at her goal less than five feet away. There was a gust of wind and she turned back toward the window.

The windowsill was empty but moving with the grace and speed of a nightmarish cat, came Darkness. Aeris leapt to her feet and made for the door knowing that she couldn't match the other's pace. She extended her hand for the steel doorknob but closed it around thin air. Darkness had her in an iron grip and stood between Mistress Gainsborough and freedom. Aeris was too proud to cry out for help and too stubborn to comply peacefully. She attempted to twist her arms away in a hand-to-hand technique taught to her by her brother. As her assailant attempted to pull her forward she intended to use the momentum to through him off balance. Unfortunately Darkness had no intentions of pulling against Aeris. Instead Aeris was the one tossed off balance and was effortlessly slammed against the door.

The impact made her bite her own tongue. She would have laughed at the irony of the situation but she didn't find it funny. Darkness moved in closer and she pressed herself into the wall in an attempt to get as far away as circumstances would allow. Effortlessly, Darkness took both of Aeris' small wrists in a single hand and raised them above her head. With his free hand he slightly lifted the bottom of his mask. He leaned forward, bringing his lips a hair's breadth from hers. Her breath caught in her throat and Aeris heart pounded like a war drum. Déjà vu. Darkness lashed out with his tongue and attacked the small trail of blood that had spilled down Aeris' cheek. She shuddered and was once again weak in the knees. This time she laughed.

Aeris had always hoped that Cloud would return for her but not like this. He was like a whole new person. He was still silent still fast and strong but there was something different. She searched her mind for any indication, any telltale sign of the change that had befallen him. Her mind had finally focused on something when Cloud moved that last inch and kissed her harder than anyone had ever kissed her before. Her mouth felt bruised and her tongue stung but she couldn't help but enjoy it. She kissed Cloud back with equal force. The pain was excruciating but the pleasure over shadowed it. She had been dreaming of Strife's return for so long that just his mere presence was sending shockwaves through her body.

Cloud released her wrist and brought his strong hands to her waist, alternately kneading her round bottom as well as the muscles around her spine. His other hand found her perky breast and treated them the way he would examine ripe fruit. He squeezed a nipple and she screamed. Her hands were no longer restrained but she'd been so caught up in the moment she hadn't bothered to lower them. Her hands dropped down on his shoulders and with all of the strength she could muster Aeris pushed him towards the bed.

They hit the large and downy bed bouncing and rolling. When they're momentum had subsided Cloud was on top of Aeris and his hands had found her moist nakedness. The sensation of Cloud on top of her, his mouth fastened to her own and his hand exploring her insides. Her back arched in excitement. Cloud's alter ego must have finally taken over because he had never been so bold. She gripped the comforter and pressed her body against his.

Déjà vu.

The door to her room burst open. General Sephiroth and two SOLDIERs came charging into the room. Cloud reacted immediately. He rolled off the bed and was at the window even as the SOLDIERs were making sense of the scene on the bed. The men had guns and were trained in their use. Cloud leapt through the open window as a storm of machinegun fire ate at the wall. Aeris drew the comforter around her shoulders and stared wistfully out the window. Sephiroth left the room without saying a word, the SOLDIERs at his back.

"We heard screaming and thought you were in trouble, Mistress." one stammered as he hurried into the hall. Caught up in her own thoughts she barely heard him.

Darkness knew that heading back toward ground level was suicide so he did the only thing he could, climb to the roof. In the gloom of night he was a black silhouette moving with liquid fluidity up the side of the building. He was black as night, he was darkness. Darkness moved up the wall swiftly and was there within moments of leaving Aeris's room. He stood alone on the edge of the roof like a figure carved of onyx stone. The figure perched like a bird of prey and scanned the night for any sign of pursuit. It was turning out to be a very eventful night.

The figure removed his mask and took a deep breath of fresh air. Aeris had called out Cloud's name repeatedly as they kissed… Princess Yuffie Karasagi had no idea who Cloud was. All she knew was that Aeris Gainsborough was a good kisser and General Sephiroth appeared to be every bit as imposing as rumors stated. She dug into one of her many pockets and removed the piece of Materia she had stolen from Aeris's bedside table. Sources had said that Aeris kept it in her room and so Yuffie worked long and hard on a way to steal it. It wasn't very useful or valuable but it was rare and it was all that mattered to her.

* * *

A/N: I want to thank my best friend without whom I wouldn't have even bothered. I'd also like to thank all the author's who have written bad stories and given me the drive to post something good. As always… _We live to hate._


	2. Chapter 2

**Chaotic: Chapter II**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own FFVII. I don't even want to… so just read the story. If you're looking to get revenge on a FLAME I've left you know this: I read every story I hate in its entirety so at least do that much before you strike back.

* * *

"Come in." 

"General, pardon the intrusion, but there seems to be a problem."

"Spit it out Sergeant, I'm in no mood to be disturbed."

"The Mistress is in an outrage. She says her assailant stole her Black Materia Broach!"

"Inform Commander Zack and issue a Perimeter Alert."

* * *

SOLDIER territory was alive like an aroused hive of army ants. Jeeps ran up and down the dark streets looking for any sign of the intruder that had attacked Mistress Aeris. Troops went from door to door awakening the families living in the houses just outside of Sephiroth's buffer zone and began house searches. They were looking for someone not branded with the General's signet and thus not welcomed in Northern Midgar. Gunshots rang out through the dark of night as the SOLDIERs made it clear that disobedience would not be tolerated. 

On the roof of the HQ perched Yuffie Kisaragi, last princess of Wutai, leader of the Wu, and currently the most wanted person in Northern Midgar. She laughed manically at the futile searches commencing below. When she focused on her years of training she could become the night made real. She could move like water and disappear like smoke. She had never been caught and she never would, if she could help it. She laughed again.

Suddenly there was the sound of footsteps and then the explosive sound of a door being thrown open. She turned and found four SOLDIERs rushing towards her. The giggle that escaped her lips was involuntary, but heartfelt. '_This is turning out to be the most fun I've had in months_' she thought to herself as she ran to meet the men. She bent low making her self a much smaller target and brought her hands behind her back. Her fingers slid easily into a pocket at the small of her back. She playfully fondled something metal and angular.

The SOLDIERs at the front carried swords only and were forced to move in close if they intended to engage the intruder. Yuffie knew this so she ignored the man barely a few feet away and focused mainly on the man at the rear, the one with the rifle. Out of that rear pocket she produced small flat metal square with sharp edges. She toggled a button imbedded in the metal and four identical shafts erupted from the four corners. The shuriken she clutched between her delicate fingers was a device she created for her self years ago and was half her size. It was made of an alloy which weighed very little but would soon prove to be very dangerous.

She brought her arm around in a wide arch and released the giant ninja star. Its spinning made an eerie buzzing noise as it sped pass the first three SOLDIERs. The man trapped in the weapon's path raised his rifle and sight down at the charging female ninja. The projectile hit him just as he squeezed the trigger. The impact of the weapon jerked the soldier's arm and ruined his aim. Even as the still spinning shuriken ripped through him his single shot eviscerated one of his comrades. The two mortally wounded men crumbled to the ground with anguished moans.

The SOLDIER at the lead, a lieutenant according to his markings, glanced over his shoulder at the death rattle of his comrades. He looked away for only a moment but found that moment long enough to forfeit his life. His attention was jolted back to Yuffie as two wakizashi were plunged deep into the soft meat of his belly. A geyser of vital fluids showered the ninja as she withdrew her short blades. He fell to the floor without ever swinging his sword.

Yuffie paused to gain her bearings and before her eyes the remaining SOLDIER began to move at superhuman speeds. She recognized the use of Haste materia instantly. He ran pass her swinging violently. The strike missed but it helped the ninja assess her opponent. She inwardly laughed even as dodged another wild attack. She'd always wanted to face one of Sephiroth's SOLDIER 1st class... but this was obviously not one of them. The man was versed in the use of materia but had little talent in using Haste. As he attacked quickly yet awkwardly Yuffie easily avoided him and even managed to maneuver him close to the roof's edge.

"Maybe you need a vacation, Soldier Boy!" she goaded. Angry, the soldier charged at her in a thrusting motion. She waited until the very last moment before she reacted. She stepped aside and lashed out with a rigid palm and the edge of a wakizashi.

The SOLDIER's movements slowed to normal speed as a gush of blood blossomed out of his wounded waist. He gasped and began to turn as his momentum carried him off the side of the roof. He caught a glimpse of Yuffie waving with one hand and clutching his Haste materia with the other before he plummeted to his death.

"Have a nice trip, Soldier Boy! Thanks for the gift. I'm gathering quite the collection, you know!" she annoyingly called after him.

Quickly she reclaimed her custom made shuriken and mask. She put everything back in order and returned to her perch at the edge of the roof. Screams let her know that the SOLDIER's splattered body had been found on the street below. Even as she watched the sound of approaching footsteps was swiftly getting louder. Happily she kissed the materia she'd stolen from Mistress Aeris. It smelled of blood and faintly tasted of the Mistress herself.

The first soldier to reach the roof witnessed a blur of liquid night dash pass before it leapt into the air and vanished into the darkness.

'How the hell am I going to get home?' Yuffie thought to herself as she fell through the night.

* * *

He clumsily climbed the ladder and cursed as he scuffed his boots on one of the rusted rungs. He reached the top and dragged himself over the edge. His leather trench coat hung loosely and blew in the gust of wind that nearly tossed him back over the side. The wind died down and he adjusted his long jacket. He did a hasty inspection of the leather pants he wore to ensure that the pleats still held. His outfit had to be in order; he couldn't go outside unless he looked immaculate. Physical exertion ruined his cultivated façade and that wasn't acceptable. He tucked his silken white shirt and a good portion of his wide girth into his pants. He was beginning to sweat and that was pissing him off. 

"Hey Fatso, move over… my arms are getting tired." Said a voice from down below. The big man mumbled under his breath and took a couple of steps back. A man in scruffy clothes and dirty boots joined him on the landing. "Damn, Wedge, you sure take a long time to move!" Wedge reached into the pocket of his jacket and whipped out a small sawed-off shotgun.

"What the fuck did you just say, Keith?" he growled.

"N…Nothing man, I was just fooling around. I meant nothing by it!" Keith raised his hands and backed away as far as he dared. Wedge slowly raised the stunted barrels of the gun to the other man's face. He narrowed his eyes and stared at the much skinnier man. Keith opened his mouth to make another apology and Wedge motioned with the gun causing the former to abruptly shut it again. Their silent standoff seemed to last a lifetime.

"BANG!" screamed Wedge. Keith's eyes virtually leapt out of their sockets as did the man out of his shoes. Struck by fear the skinny man fell back and lost his footing. Wedge grabbed him by his collar and hauled him across the ground, laughing as the man screamed for his life.

"You're a bastard." gasped Keith once he'd stopped screaming and caught his breath. He took a deep and ragged breath. "That wasn't funny you son of a b-"

"Watch it!" interrupted Wedge. He hesitated and for a moment debated over putting his weapon away or shooting the other man. He really wanted to kill the lanky smart ass but knew the boss would be angry over the loss of an able-bodied soldier. He grudgingly put the gun away. "Fuck this, let's get going."

Glancing over his shoulder occasionally, Wedge led the way south of AVALANCHE territory. Barrat and his ragtag band held sway over Western Midgar but right at their border stood Babylon, where warlords, pimps and slavers clutched greedily anything they could claim. Southern Midgar was too seedy for Sephiroth's taste, too much of a hassle for Barrat to conquer and just the way The Wu liked it. Those who could avoid it, those who couldn't were usually trapped.

A narrow passage made up of old apartment buildings cleared by AVALANCHE years earlier was the only way into Southern Midgar from the east. Troops loyal to Barrat guarded the way with their lives. Wedge and Keith didn't see any of the silent guardians as they quickly ran through the breach but the sentries were always there. Two warlords had tried to claim the east but Barrat managed to hold his ground. Shinra's Disaster had left Midgar in a burned-out husk and whenever someone attempted to rebuild someone else tried to take it or burn it to ash. The blackened remains of a school bus were a monument to the devastation.

Wedge slowed down and allowed Keith to fall in step beside him. He slowly eased his hand back toward his shotgun. Keith inconspicuously acquired two long knives, one held behind his back and the other he kept hidden within the folds of his dirty pockets. Their pace slowed.

"Please tell me you saw that, you dumb shit." whispered the fat man.

"You mean the two bastards hiding in that old bus, Fatso? I see them."

"A simple yes would have done, Shithead." Wedge hated the skinny man but he had a good eye. Wedge had only seen one shadow. "You think they're going to be trouble?"

"Only if they have bigger guns. I doubt they want any problems. They're probably hiding from the Slavers." Keith kept his hands hidden from sight but his muscles were tense and he was ready to strike in a moments notice. As they passed the old vehicle cautiously shadows ducked away into obscurity.

"I think you're right." They continued on for a while passing dirty begging children and scavengers along the way. There was always something to be found if were willing to look for it. Wedge sometimes thought it was comical that for all of their posturing and attempts at order SOLDIER, AVALANCE, and The Wu were no better than those poor, hungry, searching people. They had food and shelter but what they searched for was the remains of old Shinra Corporation.

Slowly serviceable buildings and storefronts began to sprout up out of the burned desolation. Most were liquor stores and weapon shops but a few slave shops and brothels broke the pattern. Venders sold everything from potions to stones designed to look like important materia, they usually did nothing but occasionally proved to be just as dangerous as legitimate materia. Keith stopped and purchased a hunk of burned meat that was allegedly Chocobo but tasted like something far less wholesome. Wedge stood out among the drab and downtrodden denizens of Babylon but his scrawny companion fit in like a puzzle piece. Barrat loved the idea of having a soldier who looked and acted like one of the unfortunates but it was no secret within AVALANCHE that Keith was from a small suburban town far to the south.

Finally they reached a large establishment that was more than twice the size of the buildings around it. Bedecked in gaudy bright lights hung a vulgar image of a bird and a heavily endowed man performing an act of sodomy. The place was called 'The Stuffed Bird' and was owned by a pair of ruthless warlords known as The Husband and Wife. They're brothel/club was the most profitable whorehouse in all of Babylon and one of the most heavily guarded facilities in all of Midgar. The Stuffed Bird catered to their customer's every need and desire and fulfilled their wildest dreams. Their were even rumors that The Husband and Wife held a Summons captive in their basement for the sole purpose of pleasuring rich dignitaries and businessmen. Four bouncers stood outside the brothel armed and ready to handle any situation that might arise.

Leaning against the window of the store adjacent to The Stuffed Bird was a lean plain faced young woman. She wore black jeans and a dark grey button down shirt. Her appearance was no different from the many people roaming the streets but if one took the time to look they would notice that everything from her light brown hair to her black boots were spotless. She was too clean to be from Babylon. Wedge and Keith nodded toward her and she nodded back before crossing the street to where they stood.

"Sure took you guys long enough." The woman said. Keith's eyes followed her movements like a smitten lover. She ignored him and stared off into the night. Wedge stared over her head at the window of a rundown store and regarded his image in its reflective surface.

"I had to get ready, Jesse." responded Wedge. He couldn't see her eyes narrow but knew from experience that they would. She's always been jealous of how nice I look he thought.

"I've been standing over there for three hours and all you can say is 'I had to get ready'? I should report your ass to Barret!"

"And tell him what? You wanted to pocket the money he gave you so you commissioned us to rob 'Randy's Weapon Warehouse'? Right… take your threats and shove it!" At the mention of her little monetary transgression Jesse flinched. It was only a guess on Wedge's part but it was closer to the truth than was healthy. She knew that if Barrat ever found out she was as good as fired. Before the leader of AVALANCHE had recruited her she had been nothing but a cheap date in one of Babylon's brothels. He gave her a job and a purpose. He was her way out. I'll kill that fat fucker before I let him ruin things for me, she thought to herself.

"Whatever, Wedge. I just hope you're not too concerned with your hair and shoes to get the job done."

"I'm always ready sweetheart. Where the hell is Biggs?"

"Where the hell do you think he is?"

"Look Bitch, I-"

"What the fuck did you just call me?" she turned around with her hands balled into fist. Her eyes held that dead, haunted quality of someone that has seen too much or endured beyond the limits of normal sanity. The eyes of a child brought up in Babylon or the eyes of a killer. Wedge took a step back. "_You_ look you stupid fat bastard, watch your mouth before I splatter it across your face." Her fists were merely an inch away from his face, easily within striking range. She paused for a brief moment and then snapped her fingers, flicking his nose in the process. He jumped back and rubbed his bruised beak.

"Don't you fucking laugh, Keith! Don't even crack a smile…"

"Whatever, Fatso, _that_ was funny." said Keith. He smiled but he managed not to laugh. He knew that Wedge was eager to save face and didn't want to be staring down the wrong end of a sawed-off shotgun. Wedge took a threatening step forward and Jesse grabbed his arm.

"Stop being an ass, we're being watched." she ordered the heavy man.

The two men in front of The Stuffed Bird tried to appear oblivious to the AVALANCHE members gathered across the street but it was obvious where their attention lay. In Babylon information was a commodity and anything the goon could sell to their bosses would be more valuable than a handful of Gil. AVALANCHE didn't need that kind of attention.

"I want out of here. Where is Biggs?" asked Wedge.

"Calm down. Here he comes now."

"About damn time." mumbled the slightly embarrassed man. He turned his attention toward The Stuffed Bird and caught sight of a man nearly as skinny as Keith sauntering out of the brothel. His outfit was the same grey as Jesse's but hung more loosely from his swaggering body. The smile on his face never faltered even after the bodyguards tossed a few choice insults his way.

"Look at this bastard, grinning like the damn Cheshire Cat! I'm out of here!" Wedge closed his coat and skulked down the street and after a moment Keith hurried to follow. A gust of wind washed over the street and Jesse raised her collar to fend off the assault. Biggs's shoulder length hair blew across his face in a strange and majestic dance that obscured his eyes. It all gave his appearance a cinematic quality and made his movements like that of a television star. A combustion engine truck sped pass him and added to the illusion.

"Hurry your bony ass up. We don't got all day!" bellowed Jesse. She didn't particularly like or dislike Biggs but she had to admit that he looked good, which pissed her off. She turned and with quickening footsteps hurried to catch the others.

"Hold your horses, Jesse. I need a cigarette!" Biggs said as he hurried to match her pace.

"What? Your whore was all out!" she called behind her.

"Don't call Cherry that! She's my massage expert."

"I've seen one of her _massages_ and if she's an expert I'm Aeris Gainsborough. Not even someone as dense as you would waste his Gil on such horrible service. I'm sure that bruised fruit offers you something better than that."

"Yeah… that juice sure is sweet!"

"But Gaia knows who else's finger has been in It." she said under her breath.

They turned the corner and followed an infrequently used road to the edge of a heaping pile that had once been warehouses and factories. Over the years, garbage and detritus had gathered until it had become little more than a hill of trash. At the top of the hill stood Wedge and Keith, insulting one another as was their routine. Biggs and Jesse quickly caught up with them and the four members of AVALANCHE formed a loose circle, each facing a different direction to watch for any eavesdroppers.

"Now that we're all here I can finally give you guys the details of the mission." said the only woman.

"You could have just given us the details at headquarters!" snapped Wedge.

"Yeah, and what would have stopped you big mouth jerks from spilling the beans as soon as you got a little liquor in ya?"

"Look bi-" the heavy man started but swiftly changed his tact when he saw the threatening look on Jesse's face. "Damn it! Just tell us already so we can get on with it." Wedge shouted. He was used to getting his way and having others intimidated by him, especially women. Jesse and Tifa were the only members of the opposite sex that instilled fear in him and that reason more than any other attracted him to them.

"Great, Fat ass, let everyone know we're out here plotting…" whispered Keith under his breath. Wedge spun around and had his shotgun halfway out of his long coat before Biggs could grab his wrist in an attempt to restrain him. The fat man snarled but let go of the gun.

"Chill out bro, we're on the same side, remember?" Biggs said. Keith laughed behind a concealing hand and Jesse slapped him hard across the back of the head. It was Wedge turn to laugh.

"You two are idiots. Keep from killing each other for a few minutes so that I can explain what the heck is going on." said the woman. The two could go on for hours if no one bothered to stop them. Even with his constant whoring, Biggs was the most civilized of the three.

"Oh hurry, the suspense is killing me" Wedge exclaimed sarcastically. She threw him a murderous look that wiped the smile right off of his face.

"I'm getting really tired of your shit, Fat Boy." she said in a level voice that dripped with venom. He unconsciously took a step back. Wedge had seen Jesse spar with Tifa and knew that if it came to violence he would have to shoot her in order to save his skin. "Now shut the fuck up. Anyway, Barrat wants to excavate the ruins."

"Everyone from The Wu to General Sephiroth wants into the ruins. This is nothing new." remarked Biggs. Jesse was about to make a sharp response but let it slide, it was rare that Biggs played the smartass.

"Unfortunately, there have been problems when it's come to getting to the interior."

"The Suppression Field keeps the ruins in and everyone out. It's been like that for years. Some old guys a long time ago decided that the ruins were too dangerous to leave unchecked. They say that _things _live in there that defy description. So they built a series of towers that generate a barrier so strong that it barely allows light to pass. Even the most deprived children in Babylon know this. Skip the history lesson Jesse, it's getting late."

"Are you finished?" she asked. He nodded and gave her that wink that made her pulse quicken on occasion. "Good, now you shut the fuck up too… matter of fact all of you shut the fuck up! The next one of you to interrupt me is going to be eating teeth." This time they all nodded. "Barrat wants in which means that AVALANCHE wants in. But getting in has proven impossible, until now." She watched as the three of their expressions ran from shock to disbelief and smiled. As one of Barrat's Lieutenants Jesse had access to privileged information and she knew that to it didn't hurt to remind her subordinates of that fact.

"How?" asked Keith quietly.

"We've been collecting and studying the old blueprints of the Suppression Field and its eight towers. We've studied the Field for years and have found no way to punch through it. Everyone suggested that we give up but Barrat couldn't bring himself to believe that our forbearers would create a cage with no door. He knew there had to be a way… he just knew.

"It turns out that the towers don't power the Field like everyone has always assumed. They just act as focus points. They are like beacons that shape the Field's boundaries. The towers also amplify the Field's signal."

"So… if we manage to destroy the towers… we'll bring down the Suppression Field?" asked Wedge. He glanced up to see if Jesse would attack but she just shook her head no.

"The Field is powered from within the ruins. Taking out a few of the towers won't drop it but it should make an opening large enough for us to get in."

"Or some _thing_ to get out!" said Biggs.

"Shut up, Biggs." She cast him a sharp look but managed only a small fraction of the angry heat she afforded Wedge. She could tolerate an annoying jerk but had no time for a conceited asshole.

"What does that have to do with us meeting out here in the middle of Babylon standing on the scorched heap of junk?" asked Wedge. She wanted to slap the fat man for putting his two cents in but had been hoping one of her dimwitted friends would ask that exact thing. She glanced his way and could see that he was anticipating some kind of reprisal for his outburst.

"Well gentlemen, we have been charged with demolition once again. Barrat wants me to devise some kind of explosive that will level the tower." As she spoke she noticed the proud expressions on the other's faces. They were the best team in all of AVALANCHE. Their success rate was 100 and everyone knew it. "The best place to get the supplies I need is Dent's Warehouse, we're gonna do a little borrowing."

"Why don't we just buy the supplies? We have more than enough in the treasury." asked Keith.

"It was decided that the usual channels would take too long and leave too clear of a trail." She replied. She didn't bother to mention that she'd hidden the money Barrat allotted for the mission in a secret account she'd been using to keep her nest egg. Biggs scoffed and Jesse fought back the urge to throttle him. She vowed never to get drunk around that lout again. She'd told him way too much and let him get far too familiar… good thing she always used condoms or things could really get messy.

"So we're out here to rob Dent's?" asked Wedge a little dimwittedly.

"Yes Stupid, you have a problem with that?" Jesse answered shortly. She was tired of playing twenty questions. It didn't matter that they were all, more or less, friends she was their commanding officer. She said they had a mission and that should have been enough.

"No. I have no problem with that I just wanted to make sure I understood which way to point my shotgun."

"You're an idiot." She stated flatly as she turned and headed for Dent's Warehouse.

Wedge could barely contain his anger as she passed ahead of him. He had been a part of AVALANCHE long before this bitch even heard of it and yet she treated him like a common cretin off the streets of this dilapidated ghetto. He wanted to bash in the side of her head with his shotgun and show her unconscious body who was in charge, after all she was just a woman. His thoughts wandered into more carnal territories. Jesse and that damned Tifa acted as if they were too good for him, like they were better than him. He'd show them both one day when he could get them alone and away from those who might interfere.

He watched the way her jeans clung to her ass as she walked away and without thinking pinched her, he was already prepared to say it was an accident. A sick smile crept across his face even as a viselike grip grabbed his retreating wrist. Jesse gave a thunderous yell and suddenly Wedge was on his back looking up at the sky. He couldn't remember lying down and was confused as to why he felt pain lancing up his side. Jesse's face came slowly into his line of sight.

"If you put your filthy hands on me again I'll rip them off and feed them to you." she said with a deathly calm.

Feisty little thing that Jesse was. He would definitely show her who was boss one day… soon.

* * *

The truck moved noisily down the littered street and passed the gaudy lights of The Stuffed Bird. Darkness made a quick roll and leapt out of the vehicle's rear. With supernatural speed and stealth she was scaling the side of a building before anyone noticed the black clad ninja. Below her stood a trio of figures huddled against a Spartan building and speaking in whispered tones. To the trained eyes of Darkness the group appeared out of place. Their clothing blended in perfectly with the poor surroundings of Babylon but their mannerisms weren't those of the defeated denizens of the region. Perched atop the building in the shadow of a stone gargoyle she watched as the trio was joined by a forth and quickly disappeared down the next corner. 

Yuffie was tired and eager to get back to friendly territory. Babylon was neutral ground which made it equally as safe as hiding in AVALANCHE and SOLDIER Midgar. As she watched the group vanish that special twitch at the back of her neck, the one she labeled her Materia Sense, gave her a cue. Yuffie Kisaragi was many things. A princess, criminal mastermind, and sometime ninja but mostly she was a rare material hunter. Unconsciously she rubbed her hands together in anticipation. She knew that the smart move was to go home but she wasn't known for doing the smart thing.

* * *

Dent's Warehouse was positioned on a small rise in an area of South Midgar almost abandoned. Thanks to the lack of houses, huts and shacks the place was an island in the desolation. It was also easily defended. The after hour's security numbered thirty men and women eager to lay down their lives to protect Dent's inventory. These were children of Babylon who's only hope for a better life rested in the hands of their merchant boss. Dent only hired those who shared in his Babylon heritage with its dark lessons and hardships. Dent provided them with room, board and any other needs in exchange for a lifetime of service. They were hard people who lived hard lives. 

Jesse had no desire to fight her way through a wall of fanatic defenders and planned ahead. She had devised a way to enter the compound, which was less like a warehouse and more like a weapons museum, undetected. The quartet snuck in through the ventilation system and quickly slipped pass the upper level security. The group had their problems but when it came time to doing a job they were like a well oiled machine. Jesse efficiently picked the locks, and then Biggs made sure the room was clear before Wedge and Keith swept in and snatched the goods. Thirty minutes after leaving The Stuffed Bird the four AVALANCHE members had what they needed for the explosives. They should have been home free but not everything that night was going as expected.

The dense quiet of mid-night was spilt by the sound of gunfire and shoes pounding across the building's polished floors. Jesse turned the corner and spun to put her back to the wall. Biggs ran pass her and quickly checked the room for another exit. Keith lost his balance on the waxed floor and slid into the room, crashing into a display of steel toed boots. Wedge was the last into the room, breathing heavily and clutching his shotgun with a death grip. He took position on the wall opposite Jesse and peeked into the hallway in search of pursuers. Biggs ducked behind a goggle display. In each hand was a pistol and he continually scanned the balcony overhead.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!" Jesse managed to scream while barely raising her voice above a low hiss. She glared at Wedge with something close to murder in her eyes.

"What the hell are you talking about?" the heavy man whispered. He cast a quick glance before bringing his attention back to the hall. His demeanor didn't change but he'd seen the look she was giving him and was shaken. He suddenly wondered whether she could actually shoot him in the back.

"What do you mean _what are you talking about_?" Keith chimed in. "Thanks to your itchy fat trigger finger we're all dead!" They all spoke with a low whisper so as not to give away their position.

"That guard was gonna find us! What did you expect me to do?"

"The man was ten feet away from you! All you had to do was stay still until he left the room." growled Jesse. She was on the verge of losing her temper and control of her voice. She had watched silently as Wedge slid from within his hiding place and emptied two barrels of buckshot into the unsuspecting guard's back. She wanted to scream out a warning but the sheer idiocy of the action held her transfixed. She was the first to start running as other guards came to investigate the disturbance. "Keith's right you dumb, fat shit… we're all dead."

"I don't care what any of you think. I had no choice." replied Wedge. His voice lacked the conviction his words implied.

­­

* * *

Darkness hadn't strayed far from the pillaging AVALANCHE members since she followed them into Dent's Warehouse. Silent as death, the group had no idea that they had a fifth member. She silently waited on the balcony above them as the waited for the proverbial _shit to hit the fan_. Her attention was split between listening to their whispered conversation and searching the night for any sign of pursuit. She had no doubt that if the quartet below her were boxed in by the security guards she would be forced to fight her way out just as they would. 

She contemplated her position on the balcony. There was a door on the far end that was locked from the other side and a set of display cases. One held outdated firearms and the ancient ammunition to load them and the other was empty except for a single orb of green materia. She could quite make out its type but she suspected it was aero. She watched the light of the room play intricate patterns within the stone with a lust that rivaled that of Mistress Gainsborough. If her life wasn't in jeopardy she would have snatched the stone in an instant…

* * *

"IT DOESN'T MATTER NOW!" Biggs bellowed. He was angry at letting himself get dragged into such a precarious situation as well as Wedges stupid maneuver. He could have told Jesse no and went back to HQ. Her could have told Barrat about the woman's embezzling but not only did he say nothing, he went along with her plan and now was about to get himself killed. "We need to focus on getting out of here. There's no way I'm gonna die crouched down behind this display waiting for them to find me." 

"I'm open to any ideas." Jesse said. She felt subdued. She had planned so carefully, as far as she was concerned, and was sure everything would go off without a hitch. Who knew Wedge could be so… reckless. Stupid was more like it. She didn't care what happened to the others. She had a future to live outside of Midgar and its rival gangs. That's why she stole the money. That was why she didn't regret anything.

"That door in the back can be forced open."

"Why didn't you say something earlier?"

"It's got an alarm on it… I already picked it, in case we need to make a break for it but as soon as we open that door they'll know exactly where we are. Besides, there's no way of knowing where it leads."

"I say we risk It." said Wedge. Everyone turned to him with the same expression and he realized that his opinion wasn't worth the dirt littering the streets of Babylon.

"I say _you _shut the fuck up." mumbled Keith.

"We don't risk opening that door until we have no other options available." Jesse said in a matter fact manner. No one argued. The sound of gun shots from outside of the compound punctuated her declaration. The group tensed and Jesse hazarded a glance down the darkened hall.

There came the sound of a deadbolt being thrown. In the still air of the large room the noise was thunderous. To everyone's horror the balcony door swung open. Almost simultaneously there came a crash from the balcony's opposite end.

* * *

Yuffie heard the guard coming long before he unlocked the door. His expression made it evident that he hadn't expected to find anyone behind the locked portal. His eyes bulged for a spit second and in that time she smashed the display and snatched the green materia. Faster than he could react the air was suddenly saturated with bullets. Before the projectiles shattered the balcony's wall tiles she was off the ground and moving across the wall like a grotesque spider. The guard grabbed at a walkie-talkie with one hand and a pistol with the other. The door frame splintered beside the guards head even as he barked a coded report into his handset. He reported the missing intruders and the living Darkness advancing toward him. 

The guard ducked another close shot and returned fire. For a moment the shooting from below stopped and the guard turned to see what Darkness was doing. But Darkness was nowhere to be found. Another volley of hot lead filled the air and the guard was forced to back out of the door. The AVALANCHE members below had a quick exchange and then the guard was again at the balcony with his gun blazing. Darkness lingered unnoticed in the shadows above the door. She wondered whether a chunk of materia was worth getting her petite ass shot off.

* * *

Jesse and Biggs abandoned their positions by the hall and dove behind the displays when the security guard returned fire. The leader looked at Keith who was ducking beside Biggs and cursing himself for never carrying guns. She gestured toward the door to the rear of the room. The skinny man shook his head and made a dramatic show of dragging his thumb across his throat. Wedge began to laugh when the guard began shooting once again. The guffaw caught in his throat as a bullet whizzed pass. Biggs immediately answered the shots with bullets of his own. The sounds outside were beginning to sound like a war zone and so were the ones inside. The leader wondered at her timing. She planned a burglary on the same day that someone decided to assault the most heavily guarded building south of AVALANCHE territory. 

A bullet shattered the glass display over her head and a shard slashed her cheek. She glanced upwards and noticed that the guard was wisely using the doorway as a barricade. He poked his head out and she fired an ample reminder as to why he should stay hidden. She silently counted to four and then ran for the rear door. It wasn't until she'd turned to look back that she noticed Biggs running right beside her. She raised an eyebrow but the questions died on her tongue as he glanced up and tackled her to the floor. The air was knocked from her lungs as bullets riddled the path they had taken. Wedge fired a round from his shotgun and the shooting from above ceased. Jesse pushed Wedge from on top of her.

"You can never just let me be on top can you?" he asked. His voice was its normal teasing self but the rattled look in his eyes told a different story. She bit back the smart remark aching for release... he had saved her life. She stared into those shaken eyes for a few moments longer than were necessary.

"Thanks." she said in a tiny voice.

"Just doing my job, Lieutenant" he explained. She smiled because she knew Biggs and taking a bullet for someone else was definitely not his idea of _doing his job_. She was about to say as much when Keith screamed for them to move and bullets again came raining from the balcony. They were more than half the distance to the door and made it there in record time. Jesse silently thanked Shiva for mercifully placing the door at an angle to queer for the guard to shoot at them. Biggs had his hand on the handle and was waiting for her signal to turn it. She shook her head once for 'no' and whistled for Keith and Wedge to join them.

Keith cursed so loud that it could be heard across the room, over the gunfire. He began a crab-walk that quickly became a shameless run for his life. The guard saw him and took aim but missed his shot when a hail of buckshot tore through him and the wall above. A high pitched yelp came from the shadows above him and Darkness fell to the ground below. He was wondering where it'd been hiding when his heart stopped. Keith cursed again as Yuffie plummeted through the display case next to him. He dove for cover, expecting to be shot at any minute.

"Shithead, stop cowering like a baby Chocobo and check this out!" called Wedge. Keith stood and he saw that beside the fat man was a person draped in all black. The figure was obviously feminine though a little petite. He inched closer, steadily watching for signs of more guards. "It's a chick..." said Wedge, confused.

"No foolin'" said the skinny man sarcastically. Wedge turned to him with that murderous look in his eyes. Keith was inclined to ignore the heavyset bully until he cocked a fresh round into the chamber. Keith's eyes went wide even as Wedge's did the same. "Wait a minute... I was just playing."

Keith had no way of seeing the flames getting larger through the high windows behind him. Wedge was too confused to yell a warning but none was needed as a great roar pierced the night and a huge red beast came crashing in to the sound of gun shots. The creature was roughly the size of a lion with a thick mane of braided red fur and rippling muscles. One eye was covered by a white patch that held The Wu emblem and the other burned with a fire similar in intensity to the one on his tail. He was also very fast. Keith never had a chance to turn around, he never saw it coming.

Wedge turned to Jesse and Biggs to find that they had already ran through the door. He found it odd that he was so afraid that he never heard the alarm go off. He turned back to Keith who was trying to stab the beast with his knives even as the creature ravaged his insides. The skinny man screamed for help and the red monster looked up at Wedge expectantly almost as if it wanted him to join in. It winked and Wedge was running for the door before he could remember moving. Keith screamed again as the beast began to feast on his insides.

"Better you than me, Shithead!" called Wedge over his shoulder as he went through the door and slammed it behind him.

* * *

The beast stalked over to Yuffie and stared down at her with its good eye. It licked its lips and scented the air above her. The air reeked of death and sweat and gunpowder. The creature swatted here face tentatively with a bloody paw. 

"We have to get out of her, my Queen." said the beast in a surprisingly cultured voice.

"Red, don't call me that." she mumbled.

"Then stop calling me Red, my Queen" Yuffie groaned as the beast laughed.

"I don't have time for this. You know, I think I've been shot... actually I'm sure of it."

"Then maybe you should get on my back."

"Maybe I will, Nanaki."

* * *

**A/N:** I've decided that the length of each chapter will be determined by its events and not by how much I wish to write. Because of this decision Chapter 2 seems a _little_ long. Oh well, it'll be as long as it has to. 

I'd like to thank all of you out there who actually read this and gave an honest opinion instead of just retaliating for a FLAME. Either way, keep 'em coming. _We live to hate._


End file.
